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OCZ PC3700 256MB EL DDR Gold Dual CH

The OCZ webpage contains the following product information:

OCZ EL DDR PC-3700 / 466mhz / Gold Edition

OCZ Gold Edition PC-3700 memory using state of the art HyperSpeed® technology is capable of achieving outrageous speeds of up to 466 MHz at CL2-3-3-7*. OCZ Gold Edition PC-3700 is the first in the OCZ family of memory products to feature OCZ EVP® Extended Voltage Protection**, a circuit protection feature designed to allow performance enthusiasts to tweak their systems without the worry of invalidating the warranty.

* * OCZ HyperSpeed® technology denotes specific OCZ EL DDR ICs built and selected for their ability to run at the highest possible frequency. HyperSpeed® enabled modules contain firmware and are built on a PCB that is optimized for the highest possible frequency and due to these optimizations the modules may not allow latency faster than 2-3-6-3, regardless of the module frequency.

** OCZ Extended Voltage Protection® circuit protection allows modules to handle higher voltages through a novel voltage protection circuit. OCZ EVP® protected modules tolerate VDIMM voltages of up to 2.9 volts +/- 5% and are covered by the OCZ lifetime warranty if overvolted within EVP® tolerances.

OCZ Gold modules have been designed and optimized for use with the Intel i865/i875 chipsets and work best on these platforms. If you are using a non-i875 based mainboard, we suggest purchasing either OCZ Platinum Edition or OCZ EL DDR modules.

There are a number of important statements in these paragraphs:

Hyperspeed Technology and Specific OCZ EL (Enhanced Latency) ICs

We have read it over and over, OCZ is using their own Enhanced Latency 4 ns memory chips. Truth is that OCZ does not manufacture memory chips, rather, the original markings are sanded off (you can see the scratchmarks from the beltsander towards the left and right edges) are blasted off using a CO₂ laser and the discreets are then laser-remarked to sport the OCZ label with the -40 (4 ns) rating. It takes a flashlight shining obliquely on the surface, though, to bring out the original markings: K4H280838E-TCB3 where

• K4: Samsung
• H: DDR
• 28: 128 Mbit component density
• 08: 8 bit width
• 3: 4 internal banks
• 8: SSTL (2.5V)
• E: sixth generation DDR
• T: TSOP
• C: normal temperature range
• B3: DDR333, CL2.5

This is quite interesting, by blasting off the top layer of the package and remarking the components, OCZ is capable of achieving a 50% performance increase. Well, we will see about that.. Update: According to OCZ, removing part of the encapsulant allows better thermal dissipation which sort of makes sense.

... modules may not allow latency faster than 2-3-6-3, regardless of the module frequency .... very true, details coming up soon.

OCZ EVP® protected modules tolerate VDIMM voltages of up to 2.9 volts +/- 5% ...... How would it be possible to prove one or the other way?

If you are using a non-i875 based mainboard, we suggest purchasing either OCZ Platinum Edition or OCZ EL DDR ..... Turns out that this is very true.

According to OCZ, the heatspreaders are "Gold Heatspreaders".... we have certain reservations about this statement.

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